(Photo caption: Chief Coordinator Bernadette Therese Fernandez receives MP Kevin Lamoureux and Manitoba MLA Cindy Lamoureux at the Department of Foreign Affairs in Manila. Canada Division Director Rea Oreta (rightmost) joined the meeting.)

Federal Member of Parliament for Winnipeg North, Mr. Kevin Lamoureux, is in Manila this week. He is accompanied by Manitoba provincial legislator Cindy Lamoureux.

In his meeting this morning with Ms. Bernadette Therese Fernandez, Chief Coordinator to the Secretary of Foreign Affairs of the Philippines, Lamoureux explored cooperative projects to advance the interest of the Filipino diaspora in Canada. Fernandez expressed appreciation for Lamoureux’s consistent advocacy to recognize the contribution of the Filipino diaspora to Canada and welcomed the recent appointment to the federal Senate of Filipino-Canadian Dr. Flordeliz “Gigi” Osler from Manitoba.

Lamoureux currently heads the Canada-Philippines Inter-Parliamentary Friendship Group and serves as the Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of Government in the federal House of Commons.

The 2021 national census of Canada counted the number of Canadians of Filipino heritage at 957,355, representing 2.59% of Canada’s population. It is the largest concentration of overseas Filipinos after those in the United States of America.